Spotting the secret sugar in our food

Understand where sugar is hiding in everyday meals, plus some ideas for easy food swaps

by: Julie Penfold and Abir Hamza-Goodacre

Even when we try to eat more healthily and monitor our sugar intake, so-called healthy options such as smoothies and protein bars can contain more sugar than we realise.

“The type of sugar most adults and children are eating too much of are known as free sugars,” explains Abir Hamza-Goodacre. “These are sugars that are added to foods and drinks. We know that high-sugar diets can be damaging as they are a driver of chronic disease, and they can cause metabolic dysfunction. This can lead to conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. For children, consuming high amounts of sugary foods and drinks can lead to tooth decay and increase the risk of obesity.”

‘Healthy’ foods that aren’t what they seem

Abir offers a useful rule of thumb for navigating processed foods and making healthy choices. “Try to choose foods with fewer than five ingredients, as this can help to determine what might be less processed and therefore contain less sugar,” she says. Many processed foods contain added sugars not just for sweetness but to enhance flavour and extend shelf life.

But, of course, there’ll also be products that have fewer than five ingredients but still have a high sugar content. “Extra sugars to look out for include high-fructose corn syrup or sugar cane juice,” Abir explains. “These are often added to products that already have sugar in them to make them very high-sugar options.”

Breakfast

Swap cereal for pancakes

Cereal for breakfast is a sugary start to the day. Pancakes are nutritious and easy to make, as they only need eggs, flour and milk. It’s a good protein-based breakfast.

Switch to Greek yoghurt over milk

If you have high-protein granola or low-sugar muesli for breakfast, opt for Greek yoghurt instead of milk, or have both to add more protein to your breakfast.

Snack ideas

Swap crisps and sweets for nuts and fruit

Combining foods such as raw nuts with fruit or plain yoghurt will keep you going for longer than a piece of fruit, and it will help to stabilise your blood sugar.

Add cheese to veggies

Chopping up veggies such as cucumber and peppers, and combining these with a mini pack of cheese can be a good daytime snack.

Swap bread for wraps

Wraps are lower carb than a typical bread-based sandwich. Plan what your source of protein is going to be first, then add chopped veggies and lettuce. Add a stick of cheese, a piece of fruit or a pot of plain yoghurt to make it a balanced lunch.

drinks and desserts

Swap fizzy drinks for weak cordial or water

Sugar-free fizzy drinks are also full of fake sugars and other nasties, so they aren’t healthy options. Instead, have a little cordial, such as lime cordial, in water. Milk or water are the still the best options, though.

Swap crumble for stewed apple

Stewed apple with a little cream on top is lower carb and lower sugar than having a whole apple crumble with cream or custard. Top with toasted flaked almonds. This works well to satisfy your taste buds while being better for you.